What cell company, plan, and phone should I get?

• I'm embaressed to admit I still have this cell phone: http://best-4u-cell-phones.com/images/nokia%205165.jpg . I'm grandfathered in at Cingular's $29.99/month regional plan(with fees and text messaging its really $40.00/month). As much as I like that deal, I am at the point now where I am ready to get a new cell phone and am open to any company, any plan, and almost any phone. So what should I get? All reccomendations are welcome.

• Answer:

  PROVIDER: Talk with friends to see how their signal strength is in the areas you are in most. Cingular and Verizon generally have the best coverage and reception with Verizon being the best. Verizon also has better customer service. T-Mobile's service is not very good at all. PHONE: If you want to mostly talk with a little bit of texting, then a RAZR or SLVR would do well. They are great for voice calls, sturdy, and small. If you do a lot of texting, get something with a keyboard like a Blackberry or Motorola Q. PLAN: Verizon is usally more expensive than the others, but you get what you pay for. Cingular is pretty reasonable. T-Mobile is cheap, but their service quality stinks. Verizon lets you call other Verizon people for free, so if all your friends have Verizon that might be the way to go.